TEL AVIV. Israel has vowed that Hezbollah will “pay the price” following a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that claimed the lives of 12 children. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has heightened fears of a potential all-out war in the Middle East.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, visiting Majdal Shams where the attack occurred, declared, “Hezbollah is responsible for this and they will pay the price.” He further emphasized, “We will hit the enemy hard.” This comes after Israel’s military conducted airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight, although the number of casualties from these strikes is not yet clear.
The rocket attack, described as the deadliest to hit Israel or Israeli-controlled territory since the October 7 attacks, involved “approximately 30 projectiles” crossing from Lebanon. The barrage resulted in the deaths of 12 children who were playing on a soccer field and left 44 others injured. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the fatalities, stating, “The children killed in the strike had been playing on a soccer field.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken supported Israel’s assessment, asserting that “every indication” suggested the attack was carried out by Hezbollah. Hezbollah, however, has firmly denied involvement, with a statement reading, “We confirm that the Islamic Resistance has no connection to the incident whatsoever and firmly denies all false claims in this regard.”
The Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981, is home to about 20,000 Druze Arabs and 25,000 Israeli Jewish settlers. The Regional Council of Majdal Shams reported that none of the deceased children held Israeli citizenship. The area remains considered occupied territory under international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
A funeral procession for the victims drew hundreds of mourners. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid remarked, “The children who died on that football field could have been any of our children. Therefore, they are indeed the children of each of us. These are our children.”
The attack and subsequent Israeli response have intensified fears of a broader conflict. Iran’s foreign ministry warned Israel against “any new adventures” targeting Lebanon, while Egypt’s foreign minister cautioned against opening a new war front and called for international intervention.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his visit to the United States and returned to Israel to address the situation, calling the attack shocking and vowing that Israel “will not be silent about this.”
As tensions continue to escalate, the international community watches closely, with fears that the ongoing conflict with Hamas could spiral into a multi-front war across the Middle East.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
